Data dictionary, domain modelling and making things easy

Ole Nymoen of Norwegian airport operator looks at how a common data language can provide a framework for easier airport-to-airport integration. Ole is the technical architect for Avinor's multi-airport operational database project, centralising all operational platforms for 46 airports in to a single instance.

4.
The solution (to some of it)
• Define a new common language (data dictionary)
• Define data models that fits the domain
• Mandate their use “everywhere”
Data dictionary, domain modelling and how to make things easy
Passenger Terminal Conference 2014
But
• Keep it simple
• Be pragmatic
• Ok to spend some time up front if it saves time later
• No magic, no rocket science, easy to use, good
documentation

5.
Data dictionary – what and why
• “What is a data dictionary” – Google it ;-)
• Many things to many people
• Definition of terms
• One “thing” –
one term and one definition
Data dictionary, domain modelling and how to make things easy
Passenger Terminal Conference 2014

6.
Data dictionary - how we made it
• Bottom up
• In cooperation with vendor
• Avinor and vendor had “all+++” terms already
• Often very loosely documented
• Defined by usage in different
contexts
• Needed to be precisely defined
Data dictionary, domain modelling and how to make things easy
Passenger Terminal Conference 2014

7.
Data dictionary – what we made
• About 300 terms defined
• Instantiated in XML
Data dictionary, domain modelling and how to make things easy
Passenger Terminal Conference 2014

14.
Integrations
• Why all the fuss – integrations are easy and fun.
But require:
• Clearly defined responsibility
• Well documented data and business rules
• Good architecture
• Why do we often end up
with the thing on the right?
Data dictionary, domain modelling and how to make things easy
Passenger Terminal Conference 2014

16.
The takeaway
• It takes a lot of work to create
a good data dictionary and
domain model
• Do it and use them everywhere!
• Having a data dictionary and
good data definitions is magic
Data dictionary, domain modelling and how to make things easy
Passenger Terminal Conference 2014
The one with a good DD